James Harden made it clear he wasn’t leaving the court in the Los Angeles Clippers’ dramatic 120-116 overtime win against the Utah Jazz. The veteran guard emphasized the game’s importance, urging head coach Tyronn Lue to keep him on the floor.
“I told T Lue don’t take me out of the game, that this is a must-win for us,” Harden said postgame. “Seriously, because we need to go into this break with some swagger. He listened and we won the game. Just trying to do whatever it takes to win games.”
Los Angeles fought back from a 20-point deficit behind Norman Powell’s season-high 41 points and Harden’s 32-point performance. With the victory, the Clippers improved to 31-23, staying sixth in the Western Conference standings.
The Jazz, who dropped to 13-41, were led by rookie Kyle Filipowski and Lauri Markkanen, both scoring 20 points. However, Utah’s 26 turnovers proved costly, gifting the Clippers 20 points off giveaways.
Harden contributed across the board, finishing with 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. The Jazz opened hot from deep, hitting 13 three-pointers on 56.5% shooting before halftime, but the Clippers responded. Powell fueled a second-quarter surge, scoring on eight straight possessions to trim the deficit to 57-52 at the break.
The game remained tight in the second half, with Los Angeles trailing for most of the way. In the fourth quarter, Powell’s putback layup and Harden’s step-back three fueled an 11-1 run, pushing the Clippers ahead 103-100. Utah’s Isaiah Collier tied the game with clutch free throws, forcing overtime.
Once in overtime, the Clippers took control and never trailed. Powell’s back-to-back baskets gave Los Angeles a 119-114 cushion with under a minute left. The Jazz battled back, with Svi Mykhailiuk and Collier cutting the deficit to one, but Powell’s scoring sealed the win.
Ben Simmons made his Clippers debut, recording 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Filipowski stood out for Utah, posting his best career game with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite shooting 48.7% from the field and 40% from three, the Jazz’s turnover issues and late-game execution struggles allowed the Clippers to complete their comeback. Harden’s leadership and Powell’s scoring proved to be the difference as Los Angeles escaped with a crucial win.
